How to AutoFit in Excel: adjust columns and rows to match data size (2023)

In this tutorial, you will learn how to use the Excel AutoFit feature to make cells, columns or rows expand to fit text automatically.

Microsoft Excel provides a handful of different ways to change column width and adjust row height. The easiest way to resize cells is to have Excel automatically determine how much to widen or narrow the column and to expand or collapse the row to match the data size. This feature is known as Excel AutoFit and further on in this tutorial you will learn 3 different ways to use it.

Excel AutoFit - the basics

Excel's AutoFit feature is designed to automatically resize cells in a worksheet to accommodate different sized data without having to manually change the column width and row height.

AutoFit Column Width - changes the column width to hold the largest value in the column.

(Video) How to AutoFit Columns and Rows in Excel | AutoFit Cell Size to Contents | AutoFit Shortcuts

AutoFit Row Height - adjusts the column width to match the largest value in the row. This option expands the row vertically to hold multi-line or extra-tall text.

Unlike column width, Microsoft Excel changes the row height automatically based on the height of the text you type in a cell, therefore you won't really need to auto fit rows as often as columns. However, when exporting or copying data from another source, row heights may not auto adjust, and in these situations the AutoFit Row Height opting comes in helpful.

When resizing cells in Excel, either automatically or manually, please bear in mind the following limits to how big columns and rows can be made.

Columns can have a maximum width of 255, which is the maximum number of characters in the standard font size that a column can hold. Using a bigger font size or applying additional font characteristics such as italics or bold may significantly reduce the maximum column width. The default size of columns in Excel is 8.43.

Rows can have a maximum height of 409 points, with 1 point equal to approximately 1/72 inch or 0.035 cm. The default height of an Excel row varies from 15 points on a 100% dpi to 14.3 points on a 200% dpi.

(Video) Excel Column Autofit Width (2020) - 1 MINUTE

When a column width or row height is set to 0, such column/row is not visible on a sheet (hidden).

How to AutoFit in Excel

What I particularly like about Excel is that it provides more than one way to do most things. Depending on your preferred work style, you can auto fit columns and rows by using the mouse, ribbon or keyboard.

AutoFit columns and rows with a double-click

The easiest way to auto fit in Excel is by double-clicking the column or row border:

  • To autofit one column, position the mouse pointer over the right border of the column heading until the double-headed arrow appears, and then double click the border.
  • To autofit one row, hover the mouse pointer over the lower boundary of the row heading, and double click the border.
  • To autofit multiple columns / multiple rows, select them, and double click a boundary between any two column / row headings in the selection.
  • To autofit the whole sheet, press Ctrl + A or click the Select All button How to AutoFit in Excel: adjust columns and rows to match data size (1) and then, depending on your needs, double click a border of any column or row heading, or both.

How to AutoFit in Excel: adjust columns and rows to match data size (2)

AutoFit columns and rows by using the ribbon

Another way to make Excel cells expand to fit text automatically is by using the following options on the ribbon:

(Video) Autofit Columns and Rows

To AutoFit column width, select one, several or all columns on the sheet, go to the Home tab > Cells group, and click Format > AutoFit Column Width.

To AutoFit row height, select the row(s) of interest, go to the Home tab > Cells group, and click Format > AutoFit Row Height.
How to AutoFit in Excel: adjust columns and rows to match data size (3)

AutoFit column width and row height using a keyboard shortcut

Those of you who prefer working with the keyboard most of the time, may like the following way to auto fit in Excel:

  1. Select any cell in the column/row you want to autofit:
    • To autofit multiple non-adjacent columns/rows, select one column or row and hold down the Ctrl key while selecting the other columns or rows.
    • To autofit the entire sheet, press Ctrl + A or click the Select All button.
  2. Press one of the following keyboard shortcuts:
    • To AutoFit column width: Alt + H, then O, and then I
    • To AutoFit row height: Alt + H, then O, and then A

Please pay attention that you should not hit all the keys together, rather each key/key combination is pressed and released in turn:

  • Alt + H selects the Home tab on the ribbon.
  • O opens the Format menu.
  • I selects the AutoFit Column Width option.
  • A selects the AutoFit Row Height option.

If you are not sure you can remember the whole sequence, don't worry, as soon as you press the first key combination (Alt + H) Excel will display the keys to access all options on the ribbon, and once you open the Format menu, you will see the keys to select its items:
How to AutoFit in Excel: adjust columns and rows to match data size (4)

(Video) How To Resize Multiple Rows and Columns Using AutoFit In Excel

Excel AutoFit not working

In most situations, the Excel AutoFit feature works without a hitch. There are times, however, when it fails to auto size columns or rows, especially when the Wrap Text feature is enabled.

Here's a typical scenario: you set the desired column width, turn Text Wrap on, select the cells of interest, and double click a row separator to autofit the row height. In most cases, rows are sized properly. But sometimes (and this may happen in any version of Excel 2007 to Excel 2016), some extra space appears below the last line of text as show in the screenshot below. Moreover, the text may look correctly on the screen, but gets cut off when printed.
How to AutoFit in Excel: adjust columns and rows to match data size (5)

By trial and error, the following solution for the above problem has been found. At first sight, it may seem illogical, but it does work :)

  • Press Ctrl + A to select the whole worksheet.
  • Make any column a fair amount wider by dragging the right boundary of the column heading (because the entire sheet is selected, all the columns will be resized).
  • Double-click any row separator to auto fit the row height.
  • Double-click any column separator to auto fit the column widths.

Done!

Alternatives to AutoFit in Excel

The Excel AutoFit feature is a real time saver when it comes to adjusting the size of your columns and rows to match the size of your content. However, it's not an option when working with large text strings that are tens or hundreds of characters long. In this case, a better solution would be wrapping text so that it displays on multiple lines rather than on one long line.

(Video) How to AutoFit in Excel: adjust columns and rows to match data size. #excel #shorts #tipsandtricks

Another possible way to accommodate long text is to merge several cells into one big cell. To do this, select two or more adjacent cells and click Merge & Center on the Home tab, in the Alignment group.

This is how you use the AutoFit feature in Excel to increase cell size and make your data easier to read. I thank you for reading and hope to see you on our blog next week!

You may also be interested in

  • How to change column width and AutoFit columns in Excel
  • How to align text in Excel
  • How to adjust row height in Excel
  • How to wrap text in Excel
  • How to use Excel AutoCorrect
  • How to spell check in Excel

Videos

1. How to auto fit column width in excel 2010
(quikStarts)
2. How to Change Row Height and Column Width in Excel
(Excel 10 tutorial)
3. Excel 2016 - Autofit & Column Width - How to Change Adjust Increase Columns Row Height & in Cell MS
(Professor Adam Morgan)
4. Quickly Resize Multiple Columns and Rows Quickly in Excel
(TeachExcel)
5. How to AutoFit EVERYTHING in Excel FAST! #shorts
(Leila Gharani)
6. How and When To Use AutoFit Column Width and AutoFit Row Height in Microsoft Excel
(The Teacher)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Kerri Lueilwitz

Last Updated: 04/13/2023

Views: 6199

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (47 voted)

Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Kerri Lueilwitz

Birthday: 1992-10-31

Address: Suite 878 3699 Chantelle Roads, Colebury, NC 68599

Phone: +6111989609516

Job: Chief Farming Manager

Hobby: Mycology, Stone skipping, Dowsing, Whittling, Taxidermy, Sand art, Roller skating

Introduction: My name is Kerri Lueilwitz, I am a courageous, gentle, quaint, thankful, outstanding, brave, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.